Lush greens are just the beginning when it comes to choosing plants for your outdoor area.

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The color provided by flowers and foliage is particularly valuable in a
garden. It can be used in a number of different ways, perhaps to evoke a
particular mood or to give areas of the garden a theme or look.

Rich Colors

If you spend a fair amount of time enjoying your garden from
indoors, it makes sense to provide displays of rich color that are
easily visible from the house, perhaps in pots and containers on the
patio, or in beds and borders close to the windows. Harmonious colors
that blend well together create a strong but restful feel; use softer,
pastel hues farther away from the house because they show up better at a
distance than saturated colors.

15 Beautiful, Colorful Blooms
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A garden or border composed of mostly
white-flowering plants creates a cool, calming feel that is most
striking at dusk, when the blooms glow in the fading light. Try using
cream and pale yellow flowers, as well as very pale pink and blue ones,
to prevent the effect from becoming stark and clinical. Silver-leaved
and variegated plants will provide interest once the flowers have faded.

Hot Hues

Fiery colors, such as reds, oranges, and intense pinks, demand
attention, but they should be used with care: they attract the eye away
from softer shades and, if planted at the far end of the garden, may
make the yard feel smaller. Often the simplest way to deal with hot-hued
plants is to group them together and create a condensed and spectacular
injection of color. Alternatively, combine them with contrasting
shades, such as rich blue or purple, to mitigate the effect.

Serene Green

It is important to remember that green is also a color, and
is the most commonplace in virtually every garden. There are many
different shades of green but, generally, it has a restful effect, and
gardens that are planted for foliage tend to be serene spaces. Set
against other colors, though, green generally fades into the background,
so use plants with variegated foliage or white or pastel-colored
flowers to shine out and provide additional interest.